


something happened at the market today

by scatteringmyashes



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Family Fluff, Gen, Getting Together, Kid Fic, MILFs, Single Parents, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 07:15:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28347513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scatteringmyashes/pseuds/scatteringmyashes
Summary: Persephone runs a flower stall at the farmer's market. Nyx visits every week. They're just friends who bond over their chaotic children. That's it, right?Maybe not.Or: Persephone doesn't know if it's a date, Nyx makes money doing mysterious things, and Thanatos just wants to show Zagreus his new toy.
Relationships: Nyx/Persephone (Hades Video Game), Persephone & Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 180





	something happened at the market today

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as a Christmas gift to my absolutely wonderful boyfriend!!! I finished it at like 8 pm on Christmas Day so we'll count it as a win. 
> 
> I want to write more family dynamics because it's really fun, and I had to throw in nods to some of my other favorite ships and such, so let me know what you think.
> 
> Cheers!

“Zagreus, take this and buy a jar of honey at Mr. Achilles’ stall, okay?” Persephone said, handing her eight year old a five dollar bill and some change. He clung onto it with a bright ferocity in his mismatched eyes. “Do you think you can do that?” 

“Uh huh!” Zagreus grinned. “Do you think Mr. Achilles knows the Tooth Fairy?”

“You will need to ask him. But make sure he is done setting up, okay? And don’t take your shoes off again. We need to keep those on when we’re outside. And keep your jacket on, it’s cold out.” Persephone fiddled with Zagreus jacket, the almost obnoxious red a near-necessity to keep track of him in crowds. 

It was still too early for anyone to really be shopping at the weekly farmer’s market, but she liked getting places early and thus was already prepared for when the crowds did appear. She had always been quick at setting up and Zagreus was old enough to be more of a help than a hindrance. He still wasn’t allowed to help out with any of the more fragile flowers, sticking with the herbs and cuttings, but he took pleasure in helping his mom. He was a good kid. Persephone would always count her blessings that she got full custody. 

“Yeah! I will ask Mr. Achilles if I can have the sweetest honey.” Zagreus looked around and then gave Persephone a kiss on the cheek. Then, making sure no one saw him doing something as childish as show affection to his mother because he was clearly growing too old for that sort of thing, he scurried off to locate Achilles and Patroclus. 

Persephone was, admittedly, closer to Achilles due to his regular presence at the market, but Patroclus sometimes appeared to help his husband. She knew the two had been high school sweethearts, that they did not have children, and that they thought Zagreus was charming. That was all she needed to trust that they truly meant it when they promised that having Zagreus wasn’t a bother. 

There weren’t many who could keep up with her son, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It just meant that he had to have a bit more supervision than other children, otherwise they’d end up at the ER again after jumping off a roof — no, she had no idea how he got up there — or trying to explain that he was intelligent, he just also like doing things like sticking paper clips in outlets for fun. Forget cats — Zagreus probably had nine lives, but by the rate he was going, he was trying to burn through them as quickly as possible.

She pushed that train of thought out of her head, stopping twisting her sundress in her hands and giving her stall another look over instead. It wasn’t much. Admittedly, the shop was barely afloat. The rather generous alimony plus child support meant she wasn’t struggling for money, but it wasn’t fun relying on her ex-husband for things. 

But this little stall, which was the extension of the store that stood on the corner of 1st and Central, was hers. She had it before the marriage and she had it after the marriage and no one could take it from her.

“Hello, Persephone. Where’s the little cousin?” It was Artemis, her cargo shorts rolled up to right above her knees and a dark green tank-top showing off the extensive tattoo work across her shoulders. Strictly speaking, Artemis wasn’t related to Persephone. The farmer’s market was rather close, though, and had formed a bit of a coalition. Artemis and her wife had stocked Persephone’s freezer full of venison during the divorce. 

“Hi, Artemis. He’s off visiting Achilles and Patroclus.” Persephone smiled, brushing her bangs behind her ears. “How are you?” 

“Good. Calypso is finishing setting up our stall.” Artemis held out a small carved bear. “I made this for the little cousin. Make sure he gets it for me, okay?” 

Persephone nodded, taking the trinket but hesitating before putting it in her pocket. “He’ll be back soon, I imagine, if you want to give it to him yourself.” 

“I’d love to, but I have to get back to things. Thanks, Persephone.” Artemis gave her a quick wave. She glanced to the side and smirked. “I’ll let you greet your first customer.” Before Persephone could question her, Artemis was already halfway down the line of stalls, braid bouncing with her steps. 

And sure enough, Persephone did not have to search far to see her favorite customer arriving, one son clinging to her sleeve and another half-asleep as he stumbled forward. The third was like a shadow, tall and lanky and dressed head-to-toe in a black robe that reminded her of a graduation gown, complete with… was that a bee keeper’s hat? 

“Hello, my friend.” Nyx gave Persephone a warm look. “How are you today?” 

“I am doing well, thank you. How are you? It looks like you’ve had a long week — poor Hypnos looks asleep on his feet,” Persephone said. Nyx nodded and began explaining that it was just a new school schedule causing chaos. Though Persephone nodded and reacted at all the right moments, her mind was a bit distracted by how wonderful Nyx looked. 

She had, as always, a flawless face of makeup and her eyeliner was sharper than the scissors Persephone used to trim stems off flowers. It was hard to gauge how old she was, but she had three children and Charon was at least a teenager, so she couldn’t be that far from Persephone’s age. Not unless she had a child young which, in fairness, was completely possible.

“How about your youngest? Is he here today?” Nyx and Persephone both ignored the way Thanatos seemed to peel away from his mother long enough to start looking, as if Zagreus would just appear out of nowhere. Which, in fairness, had happened before.

“He is! He’s doing very well. I am sure he will want to tell you all about how his week has been.” Persephone smiled. Nyx smiled back, though much more subdued. She smiled mostly in her eyes, Persephone had noticed over the months. Hypnos seemed to lull to one side before Charon grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back into place. 

Around them, the market started to get busy. More people were arriving and Persephone was vaguely aware that she should help people, should show them the best flowers for love or apologies, should stop staring at Nyx and thinking about how great it was to speak with another single mother once a week who also had high needs children and didn’t judge her— 

Persephone snapped back in the moment when a familiar voice shouted, “Than!” The named child looked up, craning his neck for a sight of the source. Zagreus, with all the energy he could muster, zoomed through the crowd and tackled his friend in a full-body hug. 

Thankfully he tackled Thanatos into Nyx, who seemed used to this. Persephone felt a wave of relief even as she stepped forward to make sure that everyone was okay. 

“I lost a tooth, see! And then my mom helped me put it under my pillow because I had to give it to the Tooth Fairy, and the Fairy came to me and she took the tooth which made me sad, ‘cause I wanted to make it into a necklace like in the movies, but she gave me a whole five dollars and Mom said that I could use it to find something that we could split like a treat—” Zagreus unceremoniously took Thanatos’s hand and started walking off, taking the boy with him. Thanatos might have been taller, but he looked rather meek following Zagreus.

His eyes were wide with interest though, and Nyx wasn’t stopping him, so Persephone was safe to breathe easy. 

“Don’t leave the market,” she still told Zagreus. 

“Mr. Achilles told me that he once lost three teeth at once! And Mr. Patroclus shook his head — okay Mom! — shook his head and—” Zagreus was visually swallowed into the crowd, but his voice still drifted above all else. 

Persephone met Nyx’s eyes. The corners of Nyx’s eyes crinkled as she gave Persephone the smallest of smiles.

“May I see what you have this week? It is almost Teacher Appreciation Week and my sons will need many gifts. Hypnos finally was approved for an aid.” Nyx’s voice reminded Persephone of the ocean, the way it wove in and out in a gentle but firm cadence. She had never raised her voice, not even the time Charon walked off and was later found playing chess with a boy drinking a coffee the size of Persephone’s face, but she did not need to. 

Everything Nyx did was controlled. Persephone couldn’t help but be a bit jealous that she could appear unperturbed with the chaos around her. Mornings with one hyperactive child made Persephone wish she still had Hades’ money if just to hire a driver, because getting Zagreus to keep his seatbelt on for the thirty minute drive to his specific school was hard when he was in the backseat. 

Persephone didn’t let this show as she led Nyx around the stall, showing off the wonderful daisies and the delightful wildflowers. Charon and Hypnos followed around, though it was dubious how much Hypnos was present. At one point, Nyx did ask Charon for his opinion and he selected a bright and perky sunflower for his teacher. 

“This will be lovely,” Persephone said. “What do you think Thanatos would want to give his teacher?” 

“Something elegant. He has such a stoic nature. I am glad that he and Zagreus can get along so well.” Nyx looked at Persephone. A few wisps of hair fell out of her bun and Persephone quickly brushed them back. Nyx blinked and for a moment Persephone thought she had overstepped, but there was just a soft warmth in Nyx’s eyes when they looked at one another. 

The farmer’s market seemed to flow around them and, for a moment, nothing else really mattered. Persephone smiled. Maybe today would be the day that she could stop just looking and finally act. She opened her mouth and— 

“I imagine you are very busy, but if you ever wished to schedule a playdate…” Nyx trailed off, looking down as actual doubt flew across her face. 

Persephone blinked. “Oh! I think that would be lovely. Let me finish finding you flowers, then we can exchange numbers.” Her words were enough because Nyx regained her poise, nodding and reaching a hand into her pocket to withdraw her phone. 

Soon enough Nyx was walking away, arms filled with flowers and with two of three sons following her. Persephone’s phone had one number more and her heart was lighter than before. Zagreus was always talking about how he wanted to spend more time with friends, after all. And if Persephone was intrigued about the person behind the makeup and the eyeliner that could kill a man, then that was for her and her alone. 

****

Nyx worked the opposite schedule as Persephone, but they managed to schedule a playdate for Friday afternoon, right after the kids got out of school. Zagreus promised to be on his best behavior and Persephone mentally prepared for him to accidentally knock something expensive over, though she hoped that Nyx would have a big yard or a nearby park. It wasn’t that Zagreus couldn’t behave himself, but that was usually saved for formal events or when he was forced to see his father.

Those days, at least, were few and far between. 

Now, Persephone didn’t know too much about Nyx outside of “wealthy enough to spend about a hundred dollars on flowers every weekend” and “mother of three” so when she invited Zagreus over to her house, Persephone couldn’t help but feel excited to see where Nyx lived. The neighborhood wasn’t one she was familiar with, but the size of the houses reminded her of awkward family dinners and stuffy dresses, as well as perfectly manicured lawns with flowerbeds tended by poorly paid gardeners. 

“Is this where Than lives?” Zagreus asked from the backseat. He tugged at his jacket, his favorite with a hood that looked like a wolf’s head. “It looks like Dad’s.”

“It’s a different neighborhood,” Persephone reassured him. The GPS told her to turn left and she did, then stopped when it cheerfully told her that she had arrived at her destination. 

“Whoa.” Zagreus pressed up against the window, seatbelt holding him back from jumping out of the car but doing nothing to stop him from adding more finger-smudges to the glass. “It’s so pretty!”

It was but Persephone was a bit too tongue-tied to respond. The house was two stories tall with a nice porch and vast lawn. She wouldn’t be surprised if there was a pool in the back, though perhaps that wouldn’t be the safest with Hypnos. The wood paneling was aged just enough to make it appear classic but everything was kept in perfect shape. The garage was probably as big as most of Persephone’s apartment and no doubt housed a car or two that could laugh Persephone’s out of the room. Persephone wasn’t sure what Nyx did, but whatever it was had to pay well.

Either that, or her alimony was even more generous than Persephone’s. 

She pulled the car to the side and parked, but didn’t leave quite yet, trying to gather her thoughts. Zagreus kicked his feet, knocked his sneakers against the back of her seat. Persephone usually would gently chide him, but now she just took a deep breath. 

This was just a playdate. Nyx would be watching over Zagreus the whole time. It had been a whole four months since the last accident. Everything would be perfectly fine. Nothing would go wrong. 

“Do you have your bag?”Persephone asked. Zagreus nodded, holding up a little ziplock bag. There was an epi-pen as well as a neatly typed card explaining Zagreus’ many allergies, his mother’s phone number, and his doctor’s emergency number. “Okay. And what do we say to Ms. Nyx?”

“Thank you and please,” Zagreus said. He started bouncing in his seat. “Can I go now? I don’t wanna be late.” 

They were actually still five minutes early, but Persephone could tell that his attention was now on something other than his mother. She gave him a smile which he returned, the gap in his teeth still present. 

“Okay. Now, hold my hand as we walk up and don’t step on the grass. It looks very nice and we do not want to mess it up.” Persephone was careful to listen to her own advice, though she doubted that her sandals could do much to really injure the manicured lawn that Nyx maintained. 

Or, well, probably a team of gardeners. Persephone wondered if they used fertilizer or if the grass was just naturally this green. It probably wasn’t. 

Persephone let Zagreus ring the doorbell because it made him happy. The noise echoed through the house in a rather imposing manner. Still, they had hardly been waiting a moment before the door swung open and revealed Thanatos. He was wearing his school uniform and a careful expression, though his back was straight.

“Hello,” he said softly. “My mother is waiting in the kitchen. She bought new snacks for you.” 

Zagreus grinned, dashing inside the house to give his friend a hug. He started talking about how cool he thought the house was, how much fun they were going to have, and how he really wanted to go exploring— 

“Zagreus, take your shoes off when you’re inside.” Persephone toed her flats off even though she wasn’t planning on staying too long. Habit more than anything, really. But it delayed Zagreus long enough so that he was just standing up again — he had fallen over too many times taking his shoes off to risk embarrassing himself in front of his friend — when Nyx came to the door. 

She was wearing a midnight blue dress and her hair was up in a perfect bun, save for two strands that twisted on either side of her face. Persephone was unsurprised that Nyx still had perfect makeup on and was starting to regret her own choice to forgo any formality. It wasn’t that she felt ugly in her own knit sweater or whatnot, but Nyx clearly embraced the more established lifestyle in a way that Persephone had run from. 

_ Today is about Zagreus, _ Persephone thought.  _ Not your… friendship with someone.  _ With that in mind, she smiled. 

“Thank you again for inviting Zagreus over,” she said. “He has been very excited about it all week.” 

“Yeah! An’ I came up with a whole new game for me and Than,” Zagreus explained. 

“Well, Thanatos can show you around the house first and then you can decide on what games to play,” Nyx said to him. Without needing much more prompting, Thanatos led Zagreus out of the foyer. The two women were alone. Nyx looked back to Persephone. “I cleaned the kitchen and have sealed away the things you stated he was allergic to. He will be safe here.” 

“That is very kind of you, but he is old enough to know better than to get into too much trouble. He does have his epi-pen and his emergency numbers if something happens,” Persephone told her. “I… appreciate you asking, though. Most people do not.” 

“Well, Hypnos has very specific foods he eats, though for different reasons. I am happy to help accommodate a friend of my son’s.” Nyx gestured to where she had come from, the hall slightly blocked by her own figure and a large potted set of familiar flowers. Nyx laughed. “Yes, those are the carnations that I purchased a few weeks ago. They have held up remarkably well. I will have to replace them soon, though. A few have already died.”

“You are taking very good care of them,” Persephone praised, not a phrase she said lightly in regards to her own plants. “I am glad that they have a place in your home. Did the boys’ teachers like their flowers?” 

Nyx nodded. “They did. I would love to talk about it with a drink — tea, perhaps? Or lemonade?” 

Persephone hesitated. Though she had help at the store, she really shouldn’t leave for too long. Inventory and ordering wouldn’t do itself and she still considered herself the best hand with the hibiscus. But was it rude to drop off Zagreus and just run? Probably.

“I’d love some tea,” she finally said. Nyx nodded and led Persephone through the house. It was hard to tell, but Persephone was quite certain that she was just imagining the relief on Nyx’s face. There was no reason for it to be there, after all.

****

“Remember, it’s only for the day,” Persephone repeated. Zagreus nodded. “If he tries to take you anywhere you don’t want to go, you can tell him no.” 

“No leaving the city,” Zagreus echoed, something Persephone had told him many times over the years.

“Exactly. You’re so smart, baby. You’re going to have a great time with your father,” she said even if the words felt a bit empty. Zagreus nodded, but he just listlessly played with the action figure in his lap. “He said that he wants to take you fishing.” 

“Fishing is boring,” Zagreus said. “Do I have to spend the weekend with him?” 

“Yes.” Persephone resisted the urge to say something cruel, like how she’d be perfectly fine if Zagreus never saw his father again, because that was discouraged by all the advice books she had read. Hades was… better. Or maybe he was just able to control himself better now that they weren’t in the same household. 

At the very least, Zagreus hadn’t suffered any more allergic reactions and Hades didn’t seem to accidentally leave peanuts out anymore. 

“Do you—”

“I have my backpack, my suitcase, and my special bag,” Zagreus confirmed. “Mom, will you tell Than something for me?”

There was definitely a moment where Persephone was convinced that Zagreus was about to confess a crush on the other boy, which would be a whole conversation in of itself, but thankfully Zagreus only made her promise to let Thanatos know he wouldn’t be around. With this guarantee, the two of them rolled up to the house of Hades.

Unlike Nyx, who had a large but overall welcoming aesthetic, Hades preferred to lean heavily into the  _ estate lawyer _ feeling. His house was perfectly respectable. It was two stories, had a white picket fence, and he paid a gardener to trim the pomegranate tree every week. Other than that, though, the grass had all been replaced with gravel and there was a collection of intimidating stone statues that he claimed to enjoy. 

“Come on, Zagreus. Best not keep your father waiting.” Persephone held Zagreus’ hand as they walked up the paved path to the front door. She hadn’t even knocked twice when it swung open. “Hades.”

“Persephone.” Hades looked down at Zagreus. “Boy.” He stepped back so Zagreus could scurry inside, quick to take his shoes off. He fumbled with them, one hand clutching his action figure. Hades didn’t react. 

“He has all the things he should need in his bag.” Persephone hoped that she didn’t need to clarify that Zagreus still needed food and water.

“We are going fishing. It will be in at the lake,” Hades said, as if this hadn’t been included in his email. “Is that a problem?” 

Persephone met his gaze. “No.” There was silence. Another car drove by and disappeared around the corner not a moment later. The two of them stared at each other. Persephone was determined not to be the first one to break. 

Behind Hades, Zagreus fidgeted with his toy but didn’t dare speak up. 

“Zagreus, give your mother a kiss before she goes.” Hades retreated further into his home so that Persephone could haunt the doorway. She knelt to hug Zagreus, giving him a big kiss on the cheek. 

“Love you, baby,” Persephone said. 

“Love you too,” he replied. 

Hades sighed. “He will be dropped off at school on Monday. You may pick him up after.” The  _ He is not staying with me forever _ was implied and Persephone thought that it was rather mature of her to ignore it.

Instead, she stood back up and nodded to her ex-husband. “Good bye, Hades. I hope you have a good weekend with your son.” She walked back to the car. By the time she was buckling her seatbelt, the front door was closed. It was as if Zagreus had never entered. 

A rage built, slow under her usual despair. Hades was not cruel anymore. He had always provided exactly what a financial figure should. That was not why Persephone had gotten the divorce. He just had forgotten what it was like to love, had not expected a son who would be allergic to half the things in the grocery store and could not sit still if you threatened him with death. Persephone could tolerate the way that Hades had grown distant from her, but she could never stand how he treated his own son. 

For that she had gotten a divorce. And while she was thankful she could spend most of her time with Zagreus, she would still be bitter that Hades had barely put up a fight for custody. 

She made it all the way to her apartment before the tears started rolling down her face. 

****

“Hello, Thanatos. Where is your mother?” Persephone asked, unused to seeing the little boy alone. He was holding onto a big stuffed… mouse? It had big yellow ears and a purple nose and was about the size of his head. 

Thanatos pointed behind him. And yes, through the crowd walked Nyx. She was a bit slower as Hypnos and Charon were clutching to her skirts, though Persephone couldn’t help but think that she still looked great. Instinctively, Persephone found herself smiling even as she tried to adjust her braid. But no, it was too late — Nyx was there. 

“Hello. I hope Thanatos did not interrupt anything. He was very eager to show Zagreus his new friend.” Nyx placed a hand on Hypnos’ shoulder. He yawned and gave Persephone a lazy wave. 

“Oh no, I’m sorry but Zagreus isn’t here today.” Persephone looked at Thanatos, who frowned. “He wanted me to tell you that he will be back next week, but he needed to see his father this weekend.” 

Nyx raised an eyebrow. Persephone gave her a half-shrug. She couldn’t say that it was fine because it wasn’t, but it wasn’t the kind of conversation that should happen in front of children. Besides, Thanatos looked like he was about to cry. 

“He will be very sorry that he missed you and your new friend. What is their name?” Persephone asked. Thanatos rubbed at his eyes as he muttered something. Persephone swallowed. Her heart felt a little broken, though she couldn’t have imagined that Zagreus’ friendship could inspire this much of a reaction. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said. Can you say it one more time?” 

“Mort.” Thanatos coughed, the kind of half-hiccup cough that promised tears. He was trying to keep it together, though, and somehow that made Persephone’s heart crack a bit more. “Mother got him for me.” 

“He is very cute. Do you think that you would be okay taking a picture to send to Zagreus? I’m sure that he would love to meet Mort.” Persephone glanced at Nyx, who nodded. Thanatos seemed cheered by the idea, or at least comforted enough to withdraw from the brink of tears, and soon Persephone had a picture of him holding Mort up like a prime watermelon at the county fair. 

Persephone thanked Thanatos and promised to let Nyx know as soon as Zagreus sent a response. As Nyx handed over her card for this week’s purchase — some very lovely lavender and a basil plant — their fingers brushed. Something flew up Persephone’s spine as an understanding passed between them. After all, four children between them and not a husband in sight? 

There were some things only certain experiences could pass along and the sisterhood of divorcees was a strong one. 

“If you want to get a cup of coffee at some point, let me know,” Nyx said. Hopefully the relief was drowned out by her surprise, because Persephone had never been any good at hiding her expressions. “I know that it can be difficult to find a babysitter, but if you were comfortable with it, I have one that works wonderfully with the boys. I am certain that they would be fine having Zagreus as well, and my home is large enough for him.” 

“That is very kind of you,” Persephone managed to say. She wasn’t quite sure what else she could.

“Thanatos has never been so close to someone before. I am happy that he can be happy,” Nyx replied. “But I also am happy to know you.” 

“Oh!” Persephone tugged at her braid. “I am happy to know you too. And not just because you seem to really like the flowers.” 

“Yes, the flowers.” 

Persephone couldn’t help but feel like she was missing something even as Nyx shepherded her sons away from the stall, heading down to explore the rest of the market. 

****

“Have fun on your date!” Aphrodite had called before Persephone left. Her words continued to echo in Persephone’s head, all the way to the place where she was meeting Nyx for their hang out. Their platonic get together. Their rendez-vous. 

_ It isn’t a date _ , Persephone told herself for the seventh or eighth time that night, even as she checked her reflection in her car mirror one last time before exiting the vehicle. She had put on some makeup — not much, just a bit of foundation and lipstick — and was wearing something slightly nicer than a sundress and sandals. But it wasn’t a date. 

_ I don’t even want this to be a date, _ Persephone told herself. She had so much going on in her life, from caring for Zagreus to running the flower shop, and it was enough to just have a friendship with a fellow, understanding mother. There was no point in wishing for anything more. No point in getting selfish. 

With that in mind, Persephone forced herself to head towards the entrance of the shop. 

The coffeeshop that Nyx had picked was a tiny indie place that called itself The Midnight Owl. It looked like somewhere Athena would visit and Persephone almost expected to see her cousin sitting in the entry, typing away on her laptop while her glasses slipped down her nose. Instead, the interior was filled with a casual combination of college students and older adults working on the next great novel. The layout was a long rectangle, so while Nyx was sitting in the back in a comfy armchair, Persephone could see her immediately upon entry. 

“Hello,” Persephone said, sitting across from her. “I haven’t ever been here before. I am happy to try it out.” 

“It’s my favorite. They are all ethically sourced and they constantly support different environmental causes. I’m surprised you have not been here before.” Nyx smiled, her hands wrapped around a white ceramic cup. Persephone looked around, taking in the aesthetic. It really was nice. She could picture coming here often, preferably with company. 

“I am too. But I don’t get out much right now. The last thing Zagreus needs is caffeine.” Persephone laughed as she started flipping through the menu. “How are your sons? Is Hypnos doing well with his aid?” 

This prompted a conversation about teachers and school. Charon was finishing high school and would probably not proceed from there unless he did go to a specialized university for nonverbal students. It wasn’t impossible to think of, but it would be up to Charon in the end. 

“Well, I am sure whatever he does will be good for him. You’re a wonderful mother. He’s lucky to have you,” Persephone said. Nyx nodded.

“I try to do the best for my sons. I know you understand.” 

“Yes.” Persephone looked down at the menu. “I really should get something so you aren’t the only one drinking.” 

“I don’t mind,” Nyx said, but she still stood when Persephone went over to the counter. She ended up getting a simple hazelnut with some low fat milk. It smelled lovely and tasted just as good. “Do you like it?” Nyx asked.

Persephone nodded, hoping her smile wasn’t too bashful. “Thank you for inviting me to coffee. It has been… a very long time since I have been out with a friend,” she confessed. 

“I understand. I have been to many single mother events, but they aren’t quite the same.” Nyx waved a hand. She had a perfectly layer of dark purple paint over her nails, just as flawless as the rest of her makeup. Persephone had no idea how she did it and almost asked, but decided against it as Nyx continued, “I enjoy speaking with you. It is… easy.”

“It is.” Persephone couldn’t be surprised at how easily the words came. “I suppose we are lucky that you’ve needed flowers so often, or else we wouldn’t have a reason to speak so much.”

“Yes,” Nyx replied, though there was a brief change in her expression, “I agree.”

There was a moment as the sound of the shop flowed around them. Persephone was aware that there were several people who looked like they were on dates, couples leaning in close or trading brief touches. She wondered what Nyx would do if their fingers brushed or if Persephone tilted her head just so. 

But they were silly thoughts and Persephone soon banished them with a smile. 

“Zagreus doesn’t make friends easily,” Persephone said, because there was nothing more attractive than talking about how your son had social connectivity issues.

“He seems like quite the social butterfly,” Nyx remarked. 

“He is, but he can be very overwhelming. And he does have a habit of needing to know everything. I think it is charming and he does it from a loving place, but others his age tend to react less favorably.” Persephone thought of the times Zagreus, at the time barely in kindergarten, had tried to help her marriage with Hades. It had broken her heart and she wanted to explain that some people just didn’t want to be helped and that included his father. 

She was happy that Zagreus was back home. Or, rather, safely at Aunt Aphrodite’s since she had offered to babysit for this particular night.

_ Have fun on your date! _ Aphrodite was a sweetheart, but Persephone wished she realized not everyone lived in a rom-com. 

“Thanatos needs someone to pull him out of his shell. It is a bit surprising that Zagreus is not overwhelming, but he is very earnest. I think Thanatos can tell. They make a good duo.” Nyx finished her coffee, setting the now-empty cup on the table. Her lipstick wasn’t even smudged. “Hypnos likes Zagreus too, when he is aware enough of his surroundings to interact with others.” 

“I’m glad that Zagreus can count them both as his friends,” Persephone confessed. “And thank you again for cleaning your kitchen. It wasn’t necessary — he usually can only get seriously sick if he eats something, and he’s old enough to know better — but it was very kind of you.”

“I understand,” Nyx said. “It was no hardship.” Her fingers flexed from where they lay in her lap, but Persephone quickly dragged her eyes back to Nyx’s face instead of lingering. Nyx had a single loose lock of hair that brushed against her neck. Persephone wanted to push it back but didn’t know how. Or maybe it was just her own hesitation, her own doubt. 

_ If this was a date, I would do it, _ she thought. But when even was the last time she was on a date? When had Hades last courted her? And how could she ask without risking not only her own friendship with Nyx, but Zagreus’ friendships as well? 

Before she could try to make up her mind, her phone began to ring. 

“Sorry,” Persephone said, “I have to answer this, it’s the babysitter.”

Nyx nodded, no doubt understanding of the situation. 

“Aphrodite? Is everything all right?”

The uncharacteristic nervous laughter was not what Persephone wanted to hear. “Well, the little godling is okay! So you don’t have to worry your pretty head over him or anything,” Aphrodite started. There was noise in the background, a lot more than someone would expect for a quiet house. 

Persephone gripped her phone tight. “Where are you right now?”

“Again, cousin, he is completely fine. They’re just checking his vitals and all of that important stuff. The doctors said he won’t even need to stay overnight.”

Immediately, Persephone stood up. “Which hospital are you at? Send me the address now.” She vaguely felt that she should ask what was wrong, but her instincts were just screaming at her to get to her son  _ now _ . “Zagreus is in the hospital,” she told Nyx. 

“We’re at Green Oaks — I’ll text you the address — but he is fine, Persephone, I promise. Not even a scratch!” 

“I will be there as soon as possible.” Persephone hung up the phone and gave Nyx a wide-eyed look. “I — I need to go.”

“Of course. May I drive you? We can retrieve your car later.” 

At that moment, Persephone wasn’t sure that she could navigate her way out of a paper bag, so she nodded. She barely felt Nyx grab her hand and lead her from the coffee shop. 

****

After checking in on Zagreus — who was okay, if a bit shaken, and trying to put on a brave face for his mom — and yelling at Aphrodite a bit — who had accidentally let Zagreus try her almond butter hand lotion before realizing that letting a child with a severe nut allergy rub nuts all over his hands might be a bad idea — Persephone left the hospital room to cool down. Zagreus would be discharged soon but the doctors needed to draw a bit more blood and they needed space, not a worried mother hovering over them like a hen. Nyx stood from her uncomfortable plastic chair. 

“How is he?” She asked. Persephone blinked at her.

“You’re still here?” She asked. Nyx looked almost bashful, though it was hard to picture someone so put together feeling anything but confidence. 

“Of course. I wanted to make sure that you were both okay. My babysitter is fine staying a few extra hours.” Nyx waved a hand. “But enough about me. He is going to be okay, then?”

Persephone nodded. “Thankfully they caught it before anything bad could happen, and he didn’t eat any of it. I know it was an honest mistake, but I am still going to strangle Aphrodite later.” 

“She made a mistake and put your son in the hospital. It is understandable that you are so upset.” Nyx reached out and put a hand on Persephone’s shoulder. “I’m glad he’s going to be okay.” 

The physical touch was all Persephone needed and she was suddenly hugging Nyx, face pressed against the crook of Nyx’s neck. There was no hesitation as Nyx held her back, rubbing soft circles against Persephone’s dress. Persephone clung onto her, not too embarrassed to admit that she was crying. Nyx was patient with her, whispering that it was okay and that Zagreus was safe. 

“Ma’am? Zagreus is ready to be discharged now.” The doctor gave her a quick wave before heading to check on another patient. Persephone pulled away from Nyx, rubbing at her eyes. Thankfully she had forgone any eyeliner or else it would have been ruined. 

“Sorry,” she said. “I had to run out on our meeting and now I’m crying over you. I am certain this is not the night you were hoping for when you asked me to coffee.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Nyx reassured her. “I can drive you back to your car or I can drive you home?” 

As much as Persephone wanted to head home immediately, she knew that it would be a pain to get the car back without Nyx. 

“I’m going to go make sure Zagreus is ready. Thank you, really. I don’t know how I can repay you.” Persephone wiped at her eyes, hoping that it wasn’t too obvious that she had been crying. She didn’t necessarily want to encourage Zagreus to conceal his emotions, but sometimes moms had to be the strong ones. Zagreus might have been a mature eight year old, but he was still only eight. “This has been an exhausting night.”

“I can only imagine. Go talk to Zagreus. I will be here.” With Nyx’s reassurance, Persephone went back into the room.

Zagreus looked awfully small in the bed, though he was still bright and vibrant with his eyes looking all over the room. He smiled at Persephone as she entered, going to his side and taking his hand in hers. 

“The doctors said that I am very lucky!” Zagreus waved a hand. He was covered in anti-rash cream and there was a refill of his epi-pen on his table. Persephone gave him a quick kiss on the forehead.

“You are very lucky. My lucky little baby boy who has an aunt who is in big trouble.” Persephone tried to keep herself relaxed, though. No doubt Zagreus had heard her yelling at Aphrodite earlier. 

“You aren’t mad at me?” Zagreus asked, squirming a little.

“Of course not. You did nothing wrong. You should be able to trust the adults in your life.”  _ Like Nyx. She would not accidentally poison you _ , Persephone thought. “Are you ready to go home yet, baby? Or are you still feeling sick?” 

Zagreus yawned at the mention of home. “Sleepy. Wanna go home.” He looked at his shoes, which were placed by the side of the bed, and then at Persephone. “Do I have to put my shoes on?”

“Not if you don’t want,” Persephone told him. “Mrs. Nyx is going to drive us in her car for a little bit, then we’re going to get into our car and go home.” 

He blinked at her. “Mrs. Nyx? Is Than here?” 

“No,” Persephone said. She pushed some of his hair out of his eyes, thinking about how he would need a haircut soon. “She and I were having a playdate, remember?” 

“Oh, yeah.” Zagreus yawned again. “Can we go home?” 

“Yes, baby, we’re going home now.” Persephone looked out the door to the hall where Nyx was still standing, looking perfectly content to wait. The hospital lights did little to dull her shine. 

****

“Hello, Persephone. How is the lad?” Achilles asked, adjusting the package in his hands. He was wearing a plain green sweatshirt and matching track pants, which should be unattractive, but he was charming enough to make it work. 

“He is doing well! Zagreus, come say hello.” Persephone held out her hand as Zagreus came running from behind the stall. He was holding a collection of sunflowers in a big bucket, which made sense as she had told him to count them. “He’s been helping me out every week, and after school even.” 

“What a good helper.” Achilles knelt down, holding the package out. “I heard about your hospital visit, lad. You must have been very brave.” 

“I was!” Zagreus said, puffing his chest out after dropping the sunflowers. “I was sick for a bit, but I’m feeling good now. I didn’t even miss any school.” 

“That is impressive. But I’m sure your mother would let you rest if you needed it.” Achilles glanced at Persephone, who smiled.

“He got extra ice cream all week for being so well-behaved at the hospital.” She pushed Zagreus forward gently. “It looks like Mr. Achilles has something for you.” 

Zagreus jumped forward, reaching the man in a moment but hesitating when confronted with the package. Achilles gave him a welcoming smile. 

“For me?” Zagreus questioned. 

“For you, lad. From me and Pat. We hope you like it.” Achilles’ smile grew as Zagreus gingerly picked the gift out of Achilles’ hands and, with a few careful tears, tore the paper off. Soon there was a stuffed Beanie Bear in his hands, about a foot long, in the shape of an ant. “This is Antos. He’s a good friend, the kind that’ll protect you from harm. If you ever have to go somewhere and get scared, take him with you and it’ll be like Pat and I are there too.” 

Persephone bit her lip and dabbed at her eyes. It would be awfully embarrassing to cry in the middle of the farmer’s market, after all. Thankfully no one was looking at her as Zagreus gave Achilles a hug, promising to take good care of his new friend. It was very kind of Achilles and Persephone had no idea how she would pay him back, but made a note to look into maybe providing some romantic flowers or the like for Valentine’s — Achilles and Patroclus were still young enough that those sorts of things couldn’t have lost all their charm. 

“I love him!” Zagreus finished, finally running out of breath. “Thank you so much, Mr. Achilles. Oh! Mom, can I go say thank you to Mr. Pat?” 

“Well, only if Mr. Achilles says it’s okay.” Persephone caught Achilles’ eyes. “This is incredibly kind. I’ve never seen anything like it before.” 

Achilles shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck as he stood. “Eh, if you know where to get them… And I would say yes, lad, but Pat isn’t here today. One of our friends is helping us, though, if your mother would be okay with you meeting her. Her name is Briseis — Pat and I knew her in school.” 

“If Zagreus would like, he can go now that he’s done with his work,” Persephone said. “But you have to give your mom a hug.” 

“You’re so embarrassing!” Zagreus said, as if he didn’t still give her a hug every day before school. Still, he gave her a quick squeeze before walking off with Achilles and chattering about his hospital stay. The way he made it sound, there were a lot more doctors and needles involved than Persephone remembered, but that was the imagination of a child.

Persephone smiled, watching them until even Achilles’ bright golden hair was gone from view. It wasn’t the life she had imagined creating, perhaps, but if she could pause this moment in time, she would be happy. She knew that wasn’t how life worked — Zagreus would grow up and she would have to make adjustments to the store and the stall, let alone everything else that was bound to come up — but in that moment, she was content. Even if Hades appeared in that moment, he couldn’t ruin her mood. The only thing she could wish for was, well, out of her reach. 

Or at the very least, had not responded to her text messages since the hospital incident. 

Persephone decided not to dwell on it, instead going to help a confused looking gentleman who kept looking at his phone and looking at the flowers. After helping him — Orpheus, a poet and musician, looking for something to help get back in his girlfriend’s good graces — and a few others, Persephone was well and truly in the swing of things. She didn’t notice anyone approach until— 

“Hello, Persephone.” 

“Nyx!” Persephone turned, hand going up to check that her braid wasn’t too tangled. “Hello yourself. I almost thought you wouldn’t come today.”

“Chaos had something come up, so I was a little later than I would have liked.” Nyx saw the confusion on Persephone’s face and explained, “Chaos is the name of my babysitter. Despite their name, they are rather good at they job.” 

“The boys not want to come today?” Persephone supposed that it was getting colder, which was good enough reason as any to remain inside. 

“I wanted to see you. I hope that’s okay.” Nyx frowned before Persephone nodded. “Oh, good.” She didn’t say anything else for some time, the hustle and bustle of the farmer’s market more than enough to fill the space. Somehow, despite the anticipation digging into Persephone’s bones, she didn’t squirm. She just waited. 

Nyx coughed into her hand. “I wanted to ask if you had fun at the coffee shop. Before Zagreus was hurt, of course.” 

“I did. I was worried that you did not, but I wouldn’t blame you.” Persephone managed a weak smile. Nyx’s eyes went wide and she shook her head. She was wearing a set of long earrings, the kind with dark gems and caught light and sucked it in. Persephone couldn’t imagine having them in, but Nyx made it work. 

“I enjoyed myself very much. I was nervous about texting you back, so I decided to ask in person.” Nyx put her hands back at her sides. She took a deep breath. “It feels very silly to be this concerned, but we are not young women and I wish to treat this with the severity it deserves. That being said, you make me happy and feel like I am young again.”

“I’m glad,” Persephone said, though she couldn’t help but be incredibly flattered. “I’ve had more fun in your company than most others in the last few years, if I am being honest. It’s just—”

“A connection.” Nyx gave Persephone one of her rare smiles. “If that is not too bold.”

“Not at all. I agree.” Persephone tugged at her hand before forcing her hands in the pockets of her dress. “But yes, I had a very good time.”

“Would you like to go on another date with me?” Nyx asked. Persephone was fortunate that she wasn’t holding anything, because she would have dropped it. Nyx, unfortunately, saw. “Oh — you did not realize it was a date. I — I may have misread this situation.” 

“No!” Persephone covered her mouth, suddenly dozens of eyes looking at her. “I mean, no, it is — I was wondering, but I was not bold enough to ask.” She straightened her spine as best she could. “I would love to go on another date with you.” 

“Perfect.” Nyx reached forward and took her hand, squeezing it gently. “Though this time, if you do not mind, perhaps Zagreus should stay at my house. Just in case.” 

“Just in case.” Persephone smiled and now, hand in hand with Nyx, could think of nothing else she could wish for. 

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ashes8012)!


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